Surprises Unexpected
by Tuppence
Summary: A series of one-shots focusing on different characters and different plots. Will disregard the 2 years later bit on the final episode but canon otherwise. This one focuses on Tasha, doing a school play for extra credit and how she feels about it.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Life Unexpected or their characters.

Author's Note: So these will be a series of one-shots, some may be inter-related or follow on from each other, others may not. The challenge is to use the Word of the Day from to write these one-shots and these have to be 500 words exactly. I didn't like the ending to Life Unexpected (the 2 years later bit onwards) so it'll be canon before that bit but not beyond. Anyway, I hope you like it and I hope I got the characterisation right on this one.

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><p><span>Surprises Unexpected<span>

Vociferate

Ryan's got a headache, the kind that's been brewing for a while, bubbling under the surface, waiting for the right opportunity to erupt in the form of a pounding pain. And frankly, it's making him pissy and far less tolerant of Baze and Cate than he normally is.

Because, surprise surprise, Baze is at their place. Again. Arguing with Cate. Again. And guess who's a forgotten observer? Him. Again.

He gets it. And he really doesn't think he's being unfair or misunderstanding the situation. Baze is the first guy that Cate fell for, the first guy that made her feel like she wasn't enough, and the allure of proving him wrong is huge. And for Baze, Cate is the girl he should have fallen for in the past, the girl he should have appreciated when he had the chance, the girl that makes him _feel_ better about himself (makes him want to be better, according to his words). And he can understand the attraction they have for each other.

What he doesn't get is WHY the hell can't they just GROW UP? Because Ryan is mature enough, observant enough to realise that Baze has set Cate on a sort of pedestal, partially because she's unavailable and partially because she puts him down all the time, which makes him want to prove her wrong all the more. And if they tried a real relationship, Baze wouldn't like the fact that she needs reassurance as much as he does, that she's just as insecure as he is.

And as for Cate, if she finally managed to catch Baze, _be_ with him, it would make her feel better in the short-term. Until she realised that she would have to constantly support him, _push_ him to be supportive and understanding, caring and patient, things she takes for granted in Ryan. And they would pretty much combust. Because attraction is great but it isn't love, doesn't even come close to it. And this is the real world, not some cheesy television show or movie; happy endings are hard work and he doesn't think they really appreciate that.

It doesn't really matter, though. He knows them both, knows how inconsiderate one of them can be, and how self-absorbed the other often is. He knows that whatever insight he may have, they would never listen to him or accept what he'd tell them. Instead, they would do whatever they want. He just hopes that his marriage means something to one of them, whichever one it may be. (He hopes it's Cate, but sometimes he has doubts.)

Either way, whilst Baze is vociferating his opinions and Cate is shouting back at him, he slips out of their home and into his car, hoping that at least his head would stop hurting out here. He doesn't expect his heart to stop hurting for quite some time, until the two people screaming at each other grow up and realise that attraction is different to love and relationships are hard work.


	2. Décollete Tasha

Disclaimer: I don't own Life Unexpected. Nor was I impressed with the awful last episode.

Author's Note: Ok, so I felt a bit resentful after seeing the last episode, where Jones basically ends up with Lux, despite sort of seeing Tasha and Tasha's just ok with it. Nothing was explained, it was all some sort of bizarre fairytale ending except the Prince was supposed to be Ryan and the Princess Cate, even with the past history. (Guess having a baby in high school trumps being mature and actually working hard at your relationship.) Anyway, this was my response, because I do think Lux is sometimes inconsiderate of Tasha, especially asking for all the sacrifices for Eric. These stories aren't going to be weekly things, nor will they be 500 words only from now on. Instead, I'll write them when my muse says so, but I'll still use word of the day, from , because it does improve my vocabulary (hopefully). Anyway, enjoy.

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><p><span>Surprises Unexpected<span>

Décolleté

It's fun, even though it shouldn't be, Tasha thinks. This isn't the stuff she's supposed to be into - fluffy frills and wide-hooped skirts and these weird (but kinda pretty) fans - but she has to do the school play for extra credit, if she wants to go to that college in Kansas. And it's _not_ fun, even though she's alone in the changing room and twirling around to see her skirts flair out. It's not fun except that maybe it is and why should she feel guilty for enjoying this and having a little fun? Just because Lux thinks it's stupid and pointless and Jones thinks it's geeky, Tasha's never _had_ this, not since she was five and her mum wasn't too stoned to get her a dress for birthday.

And she _likes_ it; likes feeling like a privileged, rich girl from down south, likes how her curly hair fits the picture, likes the notion of rapping wrists flirtatiously with her ebony handled fan and leaning close to men with her cleavage tantalisingly on display with her décolleté neck line.

Ok, maybe that last one was just about getting some attention from people that didn't care about her just because she was Lux's best friend. And maybe it was just an excuse to use the new term she learned from reading 'A Tree Grows In Brooklyn' (again, for extra credit). But why shouldn't she enjoy puffy dresses and elaborate hair-do, decorated fans and turn of the century stuff? She missed out on _everything_ when she was little and because her mum still doesn't want her whereas _everyone_ wants Lux, this is her way of getting a little bit of her childhood back, just maybe.

She finally steps out of the changing room and into the halls, ready for the first dress rehearsal and there's silence as she does so. It's this part she hates the most – people laughing, sneering, making her feel like she's still all wrong. The silence ends and instead of laughing, people just carry on talking, now moving with purpose to get into their places for the rehearsal to begin and Tasha breathes out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. Guess it was only Lux that thought it was stupid of Tasha to do this.

"Wow. You look amazing." The guys that says this is tall and super hot, in a preppy kind of way. "Austin," he introduces himself.

"I'm Tasha."

"I know," Austin replies. Before it can sound creepy, he adds that he works with the props and the background. Turns out, this guy that looks like he constantly works out is actually into art. Though he does admit to working out a lot too. He's friendly and he doesn't think it's odd that Tasha's wearing a frilly dress in the school play, so Tasha's decided he's definitely for keeps, just as friends and maybe more, she thinks, as she leans over just a little to give him a peep of her cleavage.


End file.
